Senator Bernie Sanders speaks in Akron

The Independent Senator from Vermont and former Presidential candidate addressed Republican-led changes to the tax code.

Author:
Carly Flynn Morgan , WKYC

Published:
11:27 PM EST December 2, 2017

Working class people and Bernie Sanders supporters filled the Knight Center in Akron Saturday evening.

"I think he has a really great idea of what the younger generation wants to see," said Aubrey Headrick of Akron.

"Bernie tells the truth. You might not like it all the time, but you get the truth,” Debra Pries of Medina told us.

The Independent Senator from Vermont and former Presidential candidate talked about education, healthcare and climate change, but the most pressing issue of the day was the Republican-led overhaul of the tax code.

Sanders’ stop in Akron is part of the “Protecting Working Families” tour, an effort by progressive activists to stop what they perceive as a plan to raise taxes on working families.

“This is a moral outrage. We will not allow them to get away with it,” said Sanders during his speech.

Concerns he mentioned include claims it will leave 13 million Americans without health insurance and will increase the deficit more than a trillion dollars.

“We're very, very concerned about the tax plan that just got passed and how that's really going to affect us and our children," said Canton’s Patricia Williams.

"The tax plan seems to favor huge tax cuts for billionaires and for corporations at the expense of working people, families, students, children, the people who are probably most in need," said Alicia Puccio of Fairlawn.

Sanders encouraged those in the room to take action against what they see as injustice.

“When we stand together, there is nothing we cannot accomplish!” he said.

Sanders and those opposed to the tax plan say there’s still time before it becomes official. They urged those against it to contact their political representatives.